


He Eats Well

by Sorrowcult



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate universe - Mafia, Cannibalism, Child Abuse, Don't read this Lin, Henry Laurens Being an Asshole, Henry Laurens' A+ Parenting, M/M, Murder, Past Child Abuse, am i kicked out of the fandom yet, mafia involvement
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-21 07:51:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14911355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorrowcult/pseuds/Sorrowcult
Summary: John Laurens lived his life blankly and through a lense, but soon he gets a taste of something that makes him see color.After going off to college, he meets some interesting people and these people set him up with a job he can't quite resist.





	1. Eat

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: This chapter will contain vague mentions to child abuse

When John Laurens was younger, he often hid bruises from the other kids in his grade.

He was twelve at the time.

His mother had just died from some sickness he didn't understand, something that left him a touch more hollow than usual. He didn't cry at her funeral, and that was the first and last time he saw his father cry.

When Laurens was twelve, he hid bruises given to him by his father from other kids in his class because he knew what his father did wasn't what parents were supposed to do, and he couldn't raise questions and he couldn't risk getting his siblings into any sort of trouble. So, he stayed quiet and his pastimes took a turn for the worst.

He was an artist, every time his pencil touched the page, magic seemed to flow from it. He could create fairytales and nightmares with his hand, and he was always proud of it, though his father, not so much.

_“Respectable young men aren't artsy, Jack. They do real things, like sports.”_

_“Yes, Father, but the sports teams are full.”_

And so, his mouth was full of blood after his father decided he didn't want to hear another peep from him.

When John Laurens was 14, he met a kid with curly black hair and pretty eyes. His name was Lafayette and he was being fostered by the Washingtons.

_“You look very sad, mon ami, may I sit with you?” He asked and John scooted over to allow the other to sit beside him. His hair was pulled up and he knew the bruise along his jaw was visible, but he could always say he got into a fight. Everyone would believe it._

_“Are you always so quiet?”_

_“Painfully so.”_

They became quick friends and John's life only for worse. He found that his sketchbook could only take so much of his frustration and he didn't feel the need to mar his own skin when his father was good enough at that already.

Though, he did have a pocket knife and a cat.

When Snuffles went missing, they blamed it on the neighbor’s dog. When the neighbor’s dog went missing they blamed it on unruly kids and Henry Laurens did not have unruly kids.

He made sure of it.

When John Laurens was 17, he got into a fist fight and he got blood in his mouth that wasn't his own. He distinctly remembered getting the living hell knocked out of him when he paused because there was no way he'd been missing out on this for 17 years of his life.

\-------------

“Lafayette, you will not believe this!” He was at his friend's house, lounges on their bed and curled up under said friend as they worked. He looked down at Laurens and smiled, raising an eyebrow. The boy has always been smaller than him and he blamed it on his poor eating habits, and he'd always been a bit darker too, dark and interested in only dark things.

His one saving grace was that he wanted to be a pediatric nurse. He had a penchant for kids, he loved them more than anything. Lafayette blamed his childhood and his father.

“Please bless me with whatever tell you have, little one.” Laurens rolled onto Lafayette and sat in their lap, smile wide and pleased with himself.

“Remember that asshole who went missing last week?” Lafayette nodded, clearly remembering some kid named Charles Lee who had went missing a little over a week ago but the search was slowly starting to die. His father was put in jail for it.

Laurens leaned down and pressed his lips to Lafayette's own and they paused, tensed up.

“I know where he's at.”

Lafayette went wide eyed and would have sat up had he not been scared at how his friend would react. He placed his hands on Laurens’ hips and shook his head. “What do you mean, you kno-” He cut him off with a chaste kiss.

“Come over tomorrow night and I'll show you.”

\-------------

To be clear, Lafayette wasn't expecting this. He wasn't expecting Laurens to push a bowl of what looked and smelled like chicken soup in front of him. He raised an eyebrow and hoped his confusion showed.

“This does not look like a missing boy.” Lafayette said blankly and Laurens just laughed a little as he took a spoonful and ate it slowly.

“It's because humans cook up nice.”

A pause, though there was no laughter that showed he was joking, no too late punchline to some joke that was never meant to be funny. He just continued to spoon the soup into his mouth and watch his friend.

“John..” He didn't know what else to say, but his tone said clear as day: “Prove it.”

Laurens led Lafayette down to the cellar, which was creepy and to what looked scarily like an incinerator. “I knew you wouldn't outright believe me, so I decided to do things myself and prove it.” He dug through the incinerator and in his hand was a jawbone.

Distinctly human.

Lafayette could have thrown up. He wanted to panic but Laurens was watching him so closely, and he had to stop himself. He pressed his lips together and spoke slowly.

“Get a sledgehammer, we have to crush the bones.”

\------------

That night, as Laurens lay in Lafayette's bed, fiddling with his phone, Lafayette spoke.

“Never do that again. You could catch something or god forbid get caught. I don't think I could live with myself if that was to happen to you. You're my best friend, don't do anything idiotic.”

Laurens paused and looked at Lafayette and he nodded slowly. He laid a head on his chest. “Okay, promise I won't.”

His friend smiled and he knew he wasn't lying, he couldn't lie, not to Lafayette, not when they meant so much.

“But.. A taste, I want..” Lafayette shushed him, and pulled him into his chest. “Try eating raw meat, like steak. It won't get you sick.. There are also many hosts of fake and edible blood.. Just don't do _that_ again.”

Laurens smilied into how thought out it all was, knowing his friend had been thinking about it all day before it was brought up.

“Okay, I promise.”

 


	2. Dealt It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laurens and Lafayette have made it to the greatest city in the world where they're going to school. 
> 
> Turns out even good things have there downsides.

New York was incredible.

The city that never sleeps, the city of dreams, and John Laurens was part of it now. He was giddy as he brought his boxes into his room at the college, the ever prestigious Columbia University. He didn't know much about his roommate, didn't know if they would be nice or mean, have a head full of interest or unrealistically boring.

He hoped they were cool, hoped they would get along with him and he could hang up his flags and posters without having to deck them.

The room was bare, but a lot bigger than he initially thought it to be. There were two twin sized beds and they were about six feet apart, give or take a few inches. There was a small kitchenette type of area near the back of the the room, two cabinets and a small stove, enough that it fit in the corner of the room, equip with a small sink. It had the smell of having recently been cleaned and he sighed before taking the bed closest to the wall, furthest from the door.

He put his boxes down on his and smiled sighed happily before getting to work. His phone was going on with texts and calls, but he would ignore it, choosing to instead scroll through his playlist and settle on some music to listen to. He managed to make the bed up with all the covers he was able to shove into a vinyl bag, which was a bunch of fluffy ones. He had to shakily climb onto the dresser alongside the bottom of the bed and hoped it didn't give in underneath him as he attempted to hang up the flags and posters.

Kehlani was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. He felt a flare of anger but simply hopped down and looked at the screen. It was Lafayette, and the anger left as quickly as it had came and he answered.

"Bonjour, mon petit tortue, comment va le déménagement?" John smiled before answering the other in English. "It's going great! I'm just hanging up posters and I'm going to fold up my clothes soon. How are things on your end?"

There was some muffled noise, and he assumed that Lafayette was multitasking while talking to him.

"Well, I got lost but I've found my room and my roommate! He is very nice from what I've gathered. Say hello!"

John smiled at that before speaking.

"Hello, Lafayette's roommate!" He got a muffled hello in return and smiled a little at that. "I wanted to know if you wanted to go to a party with me after you are done?" That made the man pause and give his phone a cursory glance. "How did you get invited to a party on move in day? Laf, you literally got lost."

"Do not ask, Laurens, just answer." The freckled man just shook his head and he realised then that his friend couldn't actually see him. "Yeah, yeah, let's hope my roommate comes around beforehand so I can meet with them!"

Lafayette made a kissing noise before hanging up the phone and Laurens went about his way.

\------------

"Lafayette when you said you got invited to a party, I didn't think you meant you had gotten invited to a party with the elitist kids." His friend merely shrugged and batted his eyes dramatically. "I do my best."

"Your best is getting us front row to liquor we can't afford."

"We can both afford it and you know it."

That answer just made him shrug before he finally asked the question that had been pestering him. "And you said they asked for me by name? You know why?" He supposed there are many reasons people would want to get in with the son of a wealthy Senator, but that probably meant they shared his father's skewered believes and it in general rubbed him the wrong way.

"Oh.. That I do not know, but if it something that makes you feel uncomfortable, call me and I will come and get you." The Frenchman spoke with clarity and it showed that he meant every word. Laurens smiled at that and nodded with a little smile.

"Okay, thanks Laf."

The party was in full swing when they arrived and it was only 9, so there was no telling how things would be the later it got. Lafayette and Laurens didn't part despite the ever flowing sea of strangers and they soon made there way to the kitchen where the drinks and food were, but when Laurens went for one, Lafayette smacked his head like one would a child.

"Now, now, you have people who want to speak to you and you plan to be wasted? I thought better of you." He chided which simply made the younger roll his eyes. "Laf, it's a party. Parties are made so that we can get drunk, spend some Jacksons and break a pool table in half."

Lafayette shuddered at that. "Please don't break anyone's pool table, we still don't know who did that."

Laurens and Lafayette laughed at the memory before a hand clamped them both on the shoulder roughly. "Oh, Lafayette, you've brought along little Laurens."

A voice with Southern drawl and while it was warm in greeting, there was something malicious beneath it. They both turned and saw a tall man with wild curly hair that was being held back from his face with a black headband. He was wearing a fraternity sweater and expensive looking jeans.

He held out his hands to Laurens. "Nice to meet you, John, I'm Thomas Jefferson." John was a bit baffled as he shook his hand and glanced briefly at Lafayette for assistance.

"I was told that you wanted to speak with me?" That made Jefferson's eyes sparkle a little and he nodded before glancing at Lafayette curiously. "Are you two close?" While John didn't understand why Jefferson wanted to know that, he easily answered. "Yeah, we've been friends for years now."

"How close? Does he know about your.. Fine dining?" The question itself left Laurens momentarily confused until he realised what exactly was being said.

_He knew._

Laurens seized Lafayette's hand and went to push past him when Jefferson placed a hand on his chest before answering his unknown question.

"Yes, I know about your little escapade with one Charles Lee, but believe me when I say I won't tell. I actually have some propositions for you."

That was how he ended up in a fancy car, all black with silver trim and a glass of wine in hand. Laurens and Lafayette were seated close together, thighs pressed together as they both watched Jefferson sip the red wine he held. He was seated between two bodyguards and he seemed to be mostly taking in the situation before he spoke.

"So, tell me, was it good?"

The question caught him off guard like most things this evening before he finally responded.

"Y.. Yeah." He quickly sipped the wine to wash away the phantom taste of flesh soaked in broth with delicately cut vegetables.

Jefferson smiled at that and he glanced at Lafayette once more. "Did you try or?" That made the Frenchman pale and shake his head quickly. "Mon Dieu, no." The Virginian merely nodded at that and spoke again. "Listen, I'll cut to the chase. I'm the Ambassador for the Mafia in this city."

Laurens had to cover his mouth lest he spit out the drink he had just took a sip of while Lafayette merely gave a look of confusion. "Mafia?" Laurens quickly explained.

"Think men who know your every mood and are scarily more dangerous than the government." It made his friend wince and he nodded.

"What does the Mafia want to do with me? How do you know about Lee?"

Jefferson leaned back and sipped the drink once more. "Well, the Lee family was in with us but they owed money. We planned to kill the whole family but Mr. Lee was going to trade in his son," cut to Laurens shuddering at what could've possibly been done to him, "when we got word of a pretty brunette bashing him over the head and having a taste."

Laurens ducked his head and covered his face. He felt dirty. To some extent, he saved Lee from some pretty terrible things and that was good but.. Now he was being what? Exploited? Threatened?

"How ever much you want, I'll pay-"

Jefferson quickly cut him off as he leaned forward and placed the empty glass down. "No, Laurens, I'm not threatening you, I'm offering you a job. Some extra money in your pocket and perhaps a little something special on your plate. We need some inside people and you will do us some good and we'll do you some good. How does that sound?"

Laurens paused and looked at Jefferson. He couldn't be serious. A job? Where the pay is thousands of dollars and an all you can eat human buffet? He didn't want to admit it, but the very thought was enticing. He looked at the floor.

"And if I say no?"

"Then you and your friend will end up one of two places, the bottom of the Hudson River or underneath a man who bought you. We'd keep you two together, as a little show of kindness, although.. I don't think you're going to say no, mostly because you look so curious. How about this, we cut a deal, you do this for me for at least a month and after that you can stop at any time. I'm a man of my word, and it shall be done or else, you can shoot me yourself, sweet thing."

Laurens paused and he sized up his options. It was obvious he was being threatened to some degree, seeing as he and Laf were in big danger if he didn't take this deal, and the deal itself was a scarily good one.

Except one thing.

"What exactly.. Is this job?"

Thomas smiled and put his chin in the palm of his hand and smirked cattily before he spoke. "You get in good with some people, mostly at business parties and such, and when you've got them secluded, we strike."

"What if someone sees?"

"Trust me, they won't talk. Not when the whole city is under lock of the Mafia and everyone at the parties we'll send you to will be in with us. It's a win-win, just in case someone wants to run."

John glanced at Lafayette who looked pale, he was gripping his knee tightly, nails digging in to what wasn't covered by the skirt he wore.

"Okay.. I'll take it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk to me about the Eat Well AU on tumblr @firstburrn!


	3. Enter Alex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John meets Alex after an argument with Lafayette and thus beginning a quick friendship. 
> 
> Soon the boring introductions will be done with and lams and lots of drama will be present.

The ride home in Jefferson's care home was quiet, Lafayette was quiet by John's side and he couldn't help but know he was responsible for that silence and for ruining their night.

"Night, y'all. We'll see you 'round." Jefferson purred as they got out the car. "Night, Jefferson.." Laurens muttered as he and Laf walked down the sidewalk. The moment the car was out of eyesight, Lafayette began to speak.

"I can't believe you.." His voice wavered for a moment, and he glanced at John briefly. "You said you wouldn't do this anymore and we have been dealing with this for years now.. And you agree to do it! John!" He stopped and spun John so that he was facing him and only then did he see the Frenchman's tears, the way his eyes had darkened for a moment.

"Laf, it'll be fine-"

"And if it isn't? Huh? If it isn't, John? What will you do? What will you do when I no longer am able to help you?" He was yelling now, and someone who had been leisurely walking past walked a little faster.

They sounded like a couple. John knew that and to some degree, John was irritated with Lafayette's worrying and such. "Listen, Lafayette, I am fine! I will be safe and so will you. Good night, text me when you're done bitching about this." He turned and walked away, and he heard the sound of Lafayette doing the same. He was still mad as he arrive to his room, his blood was still boiling beneath the surface. He wanted to hit something, to get into a fight and it didn't matter if he won or not.

He noticed that the door to the room was unlocked when he got there and he slowly opened the door, seeing the back of someone who was pretty small with long black hair. He turned around and a small, hesitant smile came to his face. "I'm Alexander Hamilton, your roommate, you are?"

John felt a little breathless for a moment before he nodded. "I'm John Laurens." His eyes, they were a pretty shade of brown that was full of some fire, barely contained as they burned beneath the surface.

"Don't answer if you don't want to, but was that your boyfriend you were arguing with?" Laurens blushed and he looked away with a sigh. "No, that was my friend. They were mad at me, they tend to mother hen." Alex nodded slowly and sighed. "I can relate, I know someone like that."

John smiled and went to sit down, kicking his shoes off. He noted that Alexander didn't have anything up on the walls, but the desk at the end of the bed had a laptop on it and his phone.

"What are you majoring in?"

Alex smiled and looked at him, pushing his hair back as he went through his boxes. "Ah, I'm majoring in Polisci and Economics." John raised an eyebrow at that. "Double majoring? You're brave."   
Alex just shook his head at that. "Or stupid. You?" John got up and walked to his closet, but continued to speak loud enough for Alex to hear.

"A paediatrician is my goal."

"You want to work with kids?"

"I've always wanted to help kids since I was younger," He replied with a smile. He couldn't say the reason was also a little selfish, a want to be the one to punch an abusive father of a child, regardless of it made him lose his job. Alex seemed to be content with that answer and they changed in silence.

\----------

Class didn't start for another two weeks and Alex was already a month ahead for his classes. It was mostly to distract himself from his insanely attractive roommate. He had the prettiest eyes and the fullest lips. Alex wasn't smitten, per say, he was just feeling the beginning of a crush. John had some odd quirks, he had to admit. Sometimes he would stare a little long at blood and he knew it couldn't be because he was faint regarding it. He would have to work with it, after all. When he ate things like steak it was practically raw, blood still leaking from it. He also smelled so sweet, sometimes it was a little too sweet.

He could sometimes remember the words his mother would say to him. "Anything or anyone who smells so sweet is the devil himself,"

John couldn't be the devil, he was too sweet.

"Want to go out with me and some friends tonight?" Alex hadn't been expecting the question and he looked at what he was wearing. An over sized sweater and some sweats. "Uh, when are you guys leaving?"

"In a couple of hours, you're good. Do you need me to give you like a two hour marker?" Alex nodded and John pulled out his phone, setting a timer.

"It's not a big party. It's more of a gathering. Me, Lafayette, and their roommate Hercules. I haven't met him yet and yes, that's his actual name, I know."

A laugh left Alex and he continued to type.

"What are you typing?" John asked after an hour, texting someone on his phone. He appeared irritated with whoever it was. "Ah, a proposal on the foster care system."

John nearly dropped his phone. "Wow, I don't know what I was expecting but it was not that. That's amazing, do you think it'll be seen or?" Alex shrugged and continued to type. "I just have to make my voice heard. I won't stand to be swept aside when I'm raising awareness for some serious issues," He nodded his head to John's BLM posters from rallies. "I could say the same for you."

Laurens tilted his head in agreement before speaking softly. "Perhaps, or maybe it's because someone will have to hear me. I'm the son of a Senator." Alex made a noise at that. "I knew I recognized your last name, isn't your dad the one who passed the really homophobic bill in Carolina?" That made John groan and drop his phone to his side. "Don't remind me. He did it right after I came out to him too. He's an asshole."

Alex nodded in agreement. "That he is." John's phone buzzed and he looked at it. "Oh, that's your two minute marker. Go do your thing." John replied as he hopped up to go change his clothes.

Alex knew that the way he dressed could do one of two things. It could get John interested or disgusted, but regardless he wasn't going to change himself for someone who probably wouldn't even blink twice regarding him.

He threw on a pastel purple crop top and tight black jeans. He didn't feel like doing his make up, so he settled with nude lipstick and eyeliner after cleaning his face, not bothering to be fancy about it. He walked back into the bedroom from his closet and John paused and he saw his cheeks darken in colour.

"You look good." John stuttered out and Alex laughed a little, feeling his cheeks heat up. "Thank you, John. You look nice too." He motioned to his black and silver flannel and his skinny jeans. The man smiled at the compliment and sighed. "Let's go meet up with Lafayette and see what trouble they can get us into."

\-----------

"You did not tell me your roommate was so cute, mon chou." Lafayette was gushing over Alex, from his small stature to his outfit of choice. "You have a good sense of fashion. I wish I could say the same for our dear friend Laurens. He is.. Trying." He mumbled with his head tilted when the other glared over his shoulder. "My sense of fashion is perfectly fine."

"You should let me do your makeup one day."

"Fine."

Hercules Mulligan, that was his name and Alex distinctly had a thought of the fact that he would climb that man like a tree. He had greeted him and found the man to be more cuddly despite his intimidating appearance. He even had a sense of safety around him.

Alex had a feeling the night was going to be wonderful.

\---------  
They were all drunk and stumbling home, skin warm and blood buzzing. John seemed to be the only one who was holding his liquor at least somewhat well. He was leaning against him as he was led to his room.

"You have stars on your skin. I find them wonderful as they fill my world with something other than darkness, my dear Laurens." Alex's rambling was doing things to Laurens' ego, making his blood broil beneath his skin and a strange warmth fill his chest.

He let them into the room and laid Alex down. He hurriedly got a makeup wipe for the dozing man and cleaned the makeup and sweat from his face. "I'm doing your skin some justice."

"Thank you, my dear Laurens."

"Sure thing, my dear boy, sure thing."


End file.
